Buyer Information

Conditions of Sale

Rippon Boswell’s auctions are subject to the Conditions of Sale printed on the last pages of our catalogue. Prospective buyers placing verbal, telephone, written or online bids, or attending the auction in person, shall be deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions.

Bidding at Auctions

Saleroom bids
If you wish to attend an auction and bid in person, you will require a bid card on which you will need to record your current address including your telephone number and, if available, fax number. We will then provide you with a bidder number. If required, we will be pleased to reserve a seat for you at the time of arranging for your bid card.

Written bids
You have the option of bidding at our auctions by placing written bids. New clients will be asked to register in advance, and in addition we will require a bank reference to establish your credit rating. You will need to print and complete our Bid Form, sign it personally and send it to us either by post or by fax. Bids placed by e-mail are not binding for legal reasons. To be accepted, written bids must reach us no later than the evening preceding the auction.

Telephone and online bids
You may place telephone bids for objects estimated at € 1,000 or higher. New clients will be asked to register in advance, and in addition we will require a bank reference to establish your credit rating. Telephone bidders will need to register no later than one day before the auction and send us a signed registration form stating the lot number(s). Online bidders will need to register and be approved by us no later than the evening preceding the auction.

Preview

Auction lots may be previewed at the times specified. We would strongly recommend that all prospective buyers make use of this opportunity to personally inspect and examine the objects. Photographs or descriptions cannot substitute for a personal impression of an object. Our experts will be available for advice and information during the preview if required.

Catalogue

Our experts take the greatest possible care when cataloguing objects. However, the dates and attributions of antique rugs and textiles are often the subject of controversy, and the details we provide should be considered opinions.

The sizes given constitute approximate measurements. Length is stated before width, and measurements are taken along the direction of the warp as a matter of principle. In non-rectangular objects we provide measurements of the longest lines.

References are cited in order to facilitate comparative study of objects. They are selective and not intended to be exhaustive.

We will make reference to any previous publications of objects in secondary literature that we are aware of at the time of producing the catalogue, but shall not be obliged to provide such references.

Illustrations

We only accept selected objects which we consider collectible for our catalogue auctions, but for technical reasons we are unable to illustrate all the lots in our printed catalogue. However, all auction lots are illustrated in our online catalogue. The zoom function allows you to substantially enlarge the images of objects for a closer inspection. The online catalogue can be accessed via our website, www.rippon-boswell-wiesbaden.de.

Condition of Objects

Rippon Boswell sell old and antique objects. These may show signs of age, use and wear, restorations, repairs, changes in colour or other changes compared to their original condition. For reasons of brevity, the catalogue descriptions only provide summaries of the objects’ condition which are not intended to be exhaustive and, by their nature, express our subjective opinion. We recommend that all prospective buyers acquaint themselves with the condition of the objects in person during our previews. Additional information is available at any time if required, and we will be pleased to provide further advice.

Collection and Shipping

We request collection of purchased objects within three weeks of the auction date during our hours of business (Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.); it is advisable to book an appointment in advance. Should buyers request shipping of their objects, we will arrange for this upon receipt of payment in full and according to the buyer’s instructions. The cost of packaging and shipping will be charged to the buyer.

Storage fees

For lots not collected (upon request), a storage fee of € 2.50 per day will be charged for each object as of the 4th calendar week from the auction date.

After Sales

As of the third working day after the date of an auction, any unsold lots or lots which attracted bids below the reserve and were knocked down conditional to the consignor’s permission may be viewed by prior appointment and purchased at the reserve price, plus buyer’s premium and VAT.